Medicalisation of FGM

It is estimated that globally more than 200 million girls and women have experienced female genital mutilation (FGM). For many of these, the FGM will have been performed by a trained medical professional and may have taken place in a hospital or clinic. This is known as medicalised FGM and is one of the significant risks to the global campaign to end the practice. It can legitimise FGM and undermines efforts to change attitudes and bring about the eradication of this harmful tradition.

28 Too Many’s report investigates the growing involvement of health professionals in FGM and highlights what actions need to be taken to reverse this dangerous trend. Medicalised FGM remains a very risky procedure and does nothing to mitigate the fact that this is a severe form of violence against girls and women, a violation of their human rights and has life-long physical, emotional and sexual implications for survivors.